Welsh Liberal Democrats

Ceredigion's Welsh Liberal Democrat MP Mark Williams outlined the case for the devolution of financial powers to the National Assembly, at today's Welsh Grand Committee in the House of Commons.

Speaking in Westminster at the Committee of Welsh MPs who were debating the recommendations of Part One of the Silk Report, Mark Williams spoke about his and the Welsh Lib Dem party's support for the partial devolution of income tax to the Assembly, as well as the devolution of some smaller yield taxes such as stamp duty, business rates, air passenger duty, landfill tax and aggregates duty. He also spoke in support of allowing the Assembly to borrow, given that currently all Local Authorities, and even small Town Councils have this power, yet the National Assembly does not.

Speaking following the Committee, Mark Williams said:

'The key objective of the reforms proposed by Silk is to increase not only the Assembly's accountability, but also increase empowerment, efficiency and equity, and provide opportunity for economic incentivisation.

'As I said in the Committee, as Liberal Democrat I am both a committed federalist and devolutionist, and therefore my Party cannot welcome these measures enough. I was pleased with the level of cross party consensus in today's debate, and I look forward to the introduction of legislation on these proposals. The ultimate test will be to see how this enhances the livelihoods of people in Wales.'